Anzac spirit remembered at Gallipoli

When 16-year-old Len Hall spotted a girl in the crowds gathered to farewell soldiers bound for Egypt in 1915, he plucked an emu plume from his slouch hat and gave it to her.

Not long after, he was firing a machine gun on the Gallipoli peninsula alongside his fellow Anzacs before going on to serve in the Battle of Beersheba in Palestine and in the assault on Damascus alongside Lawrence of Arabia.

When he returned to Western Australia after the war ended in 1918, a woman approached Len among the crowd of diggers taking part in a welcome home march.

"Excuse me, sir, would you like your plume back," she asked.

The simple exchange sparked a romance, with Len later marrying Eunice and raising a family.

His touching story was recounted by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop as she led tributes to the Anzacs at the dawn service on Gallipoli's shores on Tuesday attended by hundreds of Australians and New Zealanders.

Ms Bishop said soldiers like Len, a West Australian who was one of the last Anzacs when he died aged 101 in 1999, had inspired generations.

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"As we gather here this morning we each pay tribute to the men and women of our armed forces who have carried on the Anzac tradition for the past century and more - that spirit of courage, mateship, endurance and sacrifice that has forged our national character and identity," she said.

"25 April is etched into our calendar as a most sacred national day, not by a government edict or decree, but through the deep understanding of generations of Australians that this horrendous sacrifice was made in our name and for our nation, our freedoms, our democratic values and our way of life."

Ms Bishop also thanked the people of Turkey for allowing Australians to commemorate the 11,400 Anzacs who died and 24,100 wounded during the disastrous eight-month Gallipoli campaign.

Security was tight for the service after intelligence suggesting terrorists may try to target the commemorations after a string of attacks targeting tourists in Turkey.

Australian Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Tim Barrett said the Anzacs who landed at Gallipoli 102 years ago had "made a name for themselves that shines forever".

However, he said recollections of their bravery tell nothing of the fear and inner turmoil each soldier must have endured.

"Here the reality of war was shown to us. Here these men created a legend. But it was one created at great cost and great loss."

New Zealand Justice Minister Amy Adams paid tribute to bravery shown by the Aussies and Kiwis, which she said helped forged a bond between both nations.